In the transportation of luggage to and from airplanes or other vehicles, it is desirable to have a conveyor device that can be halted when the luggage or even a human limb gets jammed or lodged in the conveyor system.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved luggage conveyor system that is halted when suitcases, human limbs or other jamming objects become lodged therein. A ribbon switch acts as a sensing device that is tripped by a certain force from a hand or other object, such as luggage, including bags with straps, when they press against the switch.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a simple and economic way to stop a conveyor system.
By providing a separate circuit which includes a pressure-sensitive switch means such as a ribbon switch that is tripped in response to the force from a piece of luggage or limb, a relay that is inserted into the system is tripped, thereby cutting off the motor that has an electrical ignition system, as will be described. The relay, in being preferably best closed by spring biasing, goes to its open position on deenergizing due to the magnetic force overcoming the force of the spring. Thus, I have provided a means of stopping the conveying system in response to jamming in the conveying system by means of opening the relay that feeds current to the engine.
In the use of conveyor systems for luggage, it is a fact that the space immediately adjacent to the conveyor roller of the moving conveyor and the safety bumper is usually the Achilles heel of a portable conveying device where luggage or limbs generally get lodged or jammed. By placing a ribbon switch along this opening to sense any extra weight being pressed against same, I have provided a new and improved conveying device that is halted when luggage or limbs are lodged in the space. Items that have become lodged may be dislodged by reversing the belt direction and restarting the engine.
It is also an object of this invention to convert conveyor systems by adapting and retrofitting my invention to any motorized conveyor system. As will be seen, by merely appropriately placing the ribbon switch and adding a relay and rewiring the conveyor system, I can easily adapt my invention to portable conveyor systems.
While other safety shut-down systems exist, they require operator activation. Due to jet engine noise and other ramp distractions, the operator located at the bottom of the conveyor may be unaware of the jam at the top of the conveyor. Shut-down time is especially critical when the operator at the top of the conveyor has his hand caught. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a safety shut-down system that can operate without operator activation and thereby eliminate the problems caused by noise and other ramp distractions.